Ok first of all...
The whole "paid your debt to society" cliche is misleading. A drunk driver who killed someone has not "paid a debt." This is not a transaction where if I kill someone, I can repay that by prison time. That debt is not paid. The requirements under law have been met, but that person has still done what he's done, and his prison time has not entitled him to anything other than that he no longer has to remain in prison and can resume his life. He is not owed forgiveness, trust, or reintegration into a situation where he might pose future danger. We do that at our discretion, and I do believe that's the right thing to do (in most cases.) That phrase implies an obligation on behalf of the state that does not exist. When we allow felons back into any aspect of society, we do so on our terms, which are spelled out typically in the law. They are not "owed," and they have not been earned. The "average citizen" or whatever term you may choose there has not done that. If someone is a net drain on our society (and yes, there are plenty of those), it is because we have set the terms that allow that drain. If you wanna revisit those terms, I am on board with that. But they are what they are, and conflating a (presumably?) law-abiding citizen with a felon is ridiculous.
If you want to talk about specific felony convictions, then the question is a much more specific one about criminal justice reform and what should or should not constitute a felony. Fair question. But to lump that person in with someone who is a thief/murderer who may or may not go back into that lifestyle is wrong. Someone with voting rights should have a vested interest in protecting civilization from people who are, you know... committing felonies. If the question of lax prosecution is one that has a positive impact on your chosen direction in life, then I'm not inclined to let you vote on it. Someone with a proven interest in making it easier to sell drugs near kids has no business voting in elections that may or may not make that easier for him to do.
Do you think this person might be able to wrap up the convicted felon vote?
Rachael Rollins for Suffolk DA | Charges To Be DeclinedClick to expand...